The Training Ground Ren headed toward was the same one used for swordsmanship classes.
Currently, it served as a staging area for students participating in the martial arts representative selection, and its massive doors had been left wide open.
"You're the one who started it!"
"Yeah? You've got some nerve demanding an apology!"
"Wh—you're the one who laid hands on me first!"
When Ren peered inside with a sigh, he spotted a group of students brawling in a corner. As he made his way toward the commotion, he drew even more attention than usual. It was partly because an Executive Committee Member had arrived, but mostly because it was Ren—the boy whose exploits in the first-year classes were the subject of constant rumors.
"What seems to be the problem?" Ren asked.
The brawlers, still shouting, explained their grievances.
"These guys started making false accusations against us!"
"That's right! Saying we bumped into them on purpose and all kinds of nonsense!"
"I see. And you all are... let's see—"
"The armor they threw hit my bag," another student interjected. "My equipment for the selection matches is in there, so of course I had something to say about it. My friends here saw the whole thing."
"No mistake. They clearly threw it at us."
"I see. So that's how it happened," Ren murmured.
Both sides continued to grow more heated. The air grew thick with a hostility so sharp it seemed they might seize each other by the collar at any moment. Since they were upperclassmen, their passion for the Lion King Grand Festival was likely even more intense than that of the first-years.
"He's the one who bumped into us from behind first!" the student who had thrown the armor shouted.
"I told you I was sorry for that! Look around—the Training Ground is packed with people and gear! Someone pushed me, and I accidentally bumped into the two of you!"
"Is that right? Sure it wasn't on purpose!?"
As Ren listened, he couldn't help but think, This is so petty. Still, he didn't forget that stopping them was his job.
The situation crossed a line in an instant.
"Don't go picking fights with us just because you lost in the qualifiers," one sneered.
"What—you...! If you're going to go that far...!"
Both sides reached for training weapons with dulled blades.
Seeing that they had lost their composure, Ren let out a slow breath and slightly loosened his uniform tie. He glanced at a training sword hanging from the waist of a nearby student. "I'm borrowing this," he said, drawing the blade before the student could even think to reply.
"Seniors," Ren said softly.
He chose a merciful intervention. Before the quarreling parties could swing their swords even once—at the very moment they began the motion to raise them—he stepped in.
An instant before their blades rose past their waists—
"Eh?"
"What... what just happened?"
Two swords clattered across the floor.
Ren's speed was so great that no one could even tell when he had swung. The onlookers realized Ren had done something, but that was the extent of their understanding. The fact remained that the rumored first-year had suppressed his upperclassmen with utter ease, without revealing even a fraction of his true strength.
"Any further than this, and no one will be happy," Ren said.
He stood between the two parties, having moved there before anyone realized it. He returned the sword to the student he had borrowed it from—though the weapon technically belonged to the academy.
"I understand how much the Lion King Grand Festival means to you. The ambition and enthusiasm of everyone at this academy go without saying."
Once the brawlers fell silent, Ren exhaled. The intimidating pressure he had been emitting vanished as if it had never existed. He continued, "I believe this was simply an accident where a few coincidences overlapped. Please, try to stay calm."
"A-Ah... yeah..."
"That... might be true..."
The two representatives muttered their agreement, offering quiet apologies to their opponents.
Was that just brute force? Ren wondered self-critically. He suspected Radius might have been able to stop them with words alone.
Ren looked toward the entrance, planning to wait for a teacher to arrive. Almost simultaneously, the gentle chime of a bell echoed through the Training Ground.
That sound...
Ren recognized the ring of the bell. She had arrived.
Upon hearing the chime, the last remnants of hostility drained from the students Ren had stopped. Several teachers arrived in quick succession and, spotting Ren, walked over to him.
"Ashton, it looks like you stopped the fight for us. Those swords on the floor—how bad did it get?"
"I intervened before it went too far, so it was just an attempt. Besides, even if they had raised them, they might have only intended to take a stance. It was mostly just a loud argument."
"Phew... are you being easy on your seniors just because it's a biennial festival?"
Ren didn't answer, simply tilting his head and feigning ignorance. The teacher understood his intent and didn't press the matter. Regardless of Ren's personal feelings, the faculty would handle the formal discipline.
"I'll be going now. Please let me know if you need anything else."
"Understood. Good work today."
Ren turned to leave. As he walked away, one of the students who had lost his cool earlier caught up to him. With an awkward expression, he thanked Ren for stopping the fight.
"I know everyone gets worked up for the festival," Ren said with a wry smile. "But please, be careful."
The second-year student nodded. To him, Ren's tone carried a hidden weight. It felt as if Ren was saying, There won't be a next time.
The student found himself apologizing again, his voice trembling slightly. Even without a sword in his hand, Ren had projected a presence so sharp it felt like he was being cut. He said nothing more and watched Ren walk away.
Once outside, Ren welcomed the evening breeze. The air was turning chilly as night approached, which helped cool his lingering adrenaline.
"I was so surprised when my friends called me over!" a girl's voice called out to his back.
Ren stopped near the exit.
"The famous classmate is out here stopping seniors, and he isn't affected by Nemu's magic tool at all? What's the deal with that?"
"...Wasn't it just a coincidence?" Ren asked.
"Hmm, so Ashton-kun doubts the effectiveness of my work."
"Not at all. I wouldn't dream of doubting the quality of a tool made by a daughter of the Altia family. That bell sound is supposed to calm people down, right?"
"Ding-ding! Correct! As expected of the Student Representative!"
Ren turned toward the speaker. The girl was short but possessed a remarkably curvaceous figure. She wore a large hooded jacket over her uniform, with a thick belt around her waist holding test tubes and various tools. Her features were youthful and undeniably cute, the kind of face that easily drew attention.
"This is the first time we've spoken, isn't it?" Ren asked.
"Yep, yep! But Nemu already knew all about you! You're the Student Representative, and you're always talking to Licia-chan and Sera-chan! And Vane-kun, too!"
Her name was Nemu, of the Altia family. The Altias were descendants of one of the Seven Heroes—the legendary craftsman who designed the Great Clock Tower of Erendil and the management system for guild cards. Nemu herself was a brilliant magic tool craftsman and played a vital support role in Vane's party.
"How'd you do it, though? It's so weird that Nemu's magic tool didn't affect you even a little bit."
"It's not a matter of how; didn't you say it yourself?"
"Huh? Me?"
"Yes. The bell calms those who hear it. I said it might have been a coincidence, but I think it's just because I was already calm from the start."
"...So, because there was no need to calm down, it didn't do anything?"
"Exactly. That's the only logical explanation."
Ren didn't elaborate further. He didn't want to keep her long, partly because she was from a Heroic Archduke family, and partly because his committee work wasn't finished.
"If you'll excuse me," Ren said, leaving her behind.
Nemu watched him go, a look of confusion on her face. "How strange. For someone who didn't need to 'calm down,' he was giving off an incredible aura the whole time."
She shook her head and went to find her friends.
The days continued with the usual rhythm of classes and committee duties. As time passed, the representative selections for several categories, including speech, were finalized. The Executive Committee members, who had been working through their lunch breaks, finally saw their workload begin to stabilize. The martial arts tournament selections were still ongoing, but the initial chaos had subsided.
About two weeks after the selections began, Ren found himself with some free time. He wasn't participating in the afternoon swordsmanship class, so he headed to the committee room to catch up on his studies. His bag was packed with assignments from various instructors.
"Hello, Ren-kun."
Fiona was alone in the room, working on her own lessons. Radius and Mirei were absent; they had mentioned that morning that they had official duties to attend to. They weren't expected back until later that afternoon for committee work.
"May I study here too?" Ren asked.
"Honestly... as if I would ever say no," Fiona replied with a soft, wry smile.
Ren sat across from her. The table was cluttered with her reference books and the usual committee documents.
"Ren-kun? Is Lady Licia not with you?"
"She has official duties in Erendil today, so she stayed home. Radius is also out on business. Apparently, he's taking a magic ship on a day trip to somewhere quite far."
"Which means... Miss Mirei as well?"
"Yes. That's the case."
Ren’s calm confirmation met only silence. Fiona blinked repeatedly, staring at him as he began to lay out his work. Slowly, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she looked away before he could notice.
She stood up abruptly. "I... I'm going to open the window," she said, hiding her face.
Just... just the two of us until after school? With Ren-kun!?
She whispered the words toward the open window, her heart racing like a drum against her ribs. It was beating so fast it almost hurt.